If you’ve been following me for awhile, you know this is true. I detest it. I avoid it at all costs. If there is an option between going to the gym or doing something else, I will always pick the other option. Especially if it involves wine.

But, I know that exercise is the one thing missing in my wellbeing routine. I know that exercise is key to preventing chronic illness and can reduce my chances of developing breast cancer (even though I have the genetic mutation that increases my risk).

I know that exercise will help me stay mindful and present and keep my energy levels high. I know it will raise my good cholesterol and lower my bad cholesterol. I know it’s a part of self-care and taking care of my body and setting the foundation for my future health.

I recently had a conversation with a friend, talking about our various health issues. I started a new job this past week, and the transition from full-time entrepreneurship to full-time employment was harder than I anticipated! I was waking up in the night with racing thoughts and anxiety, I was hungry all the time, and I noticed my energy changing throughout the day.

She was frustrated with her weight. She started a new diet a few months ago and consistently lost a bunch of weight in the first several weeks. But now, she hasn’t lost a single pound in the last month. She’s been keeping up with her diet and exercise routine, but it’s not having the same impact that it did in the beginning.

This conversation got me thinking about women’s health and wellness. Here we are, two smart, professional, accomplished women, and we can’t seem to get a handle on our health! And the interesting part is that we’re struggling with different aspects of our health – sleep and energy for me, weight for her. What could we do to feel better?

I asked her how everything else was going – her relationships, career, hobbies, etc. She told me she was stressed about work because she didn’t feel totally valued in her role. She lost the passion she once had for her career, and she was thinking about other options, like going back to school. Her relationship with her boyfriend was going great, but she was surrounded by negative friends and family members.

Then it hit me – our health isn’t just about diet and exercise. There are so many other factors that impact how we feel on a daily basis. In fact, our wellbeing is so much more complex and nuanced. Eating well and exercising regularly are great ways to improve our health, but they won’t solve everything.

“Ugh, how is it I am so successful in so many areas of my life, but taking care of myself?”

Did I see a hand raise?

Are you one of those overly worked career people, who get everything done above and beyond the call of duty? Your boss praises you. Your friends love and adore you. Your family thinks the world of you. Everyone wants to be around you. The outside looks great, but you’re a freakin’ mess on the inside! If they only knew… you almost laugh, or maybe you do, out loud at the comments, “How do you do it all?” You do and you do it well, but at what cost?

I was working 10-hour days and commuting an hour each way to a job I didn’t want. Sure, that was exhausting, but it was nothing compared to the crushing effects of the depression that seemed to creep in unannounced.